FOEEST AND STREAM, 
1033 
-7 
Word for all, with no loss of time in the pleasure. The 
•home riflemen did fairly Well. Charles made a flue 47 ; 
Jacksou uses a military, and by the rules has two points 
added to his score. Sumner, the reliable, put iu four 46s. 
The other well known names kept the reputation of the 
Hill up to the mark. There were 154 entries. We give 
the leading scores : — 
W. Mi Farrow .5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5-50 
V. Entuz.5 5 p 5 5 4 5 4 5 .1—47 
W. Charles. 55 5 544555 1—47 
VT. R. Jackson. 
. 1 
( 
4 
■1 
5 
4 
4 
5 
g 
5—Ml 
J. 8 . Sumner. 
.4 
4 
5 
5 
4 
5 
5 
4 
5—16 
J. Nichols. 
.5 
5 
4 
5 
4 
4 
•1—16 
w Howard... . 
... ...5 
4 
5 
5 
5 
4 
1 
4 
1—16 
F. H. Holton . 
. 0 
4 
5 
5 
5 
4 
1 
4 
4 
5—45 
A. riohbell. 
..... -4 
6 
4 
5 
4 
4 
1 
5-45 
T. Fit*.. 
. 0 
l 
5 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4 
f) 
5-45 
E. F. liichardsori. 
.r> 
3 
4 
4 
5 
5 
5 
5 
4—45 
C. S Noyes . 
i 
4 
4 
f» 
•i 
4 
5 
4 
5 
5-44 
C .1 FalcO . 
l 
4 
i 
5 
4 
4 
4 
5-44 
C. it, Gritting. 
, 4 
5 
4 
4 
5 
4 
4 
4 
4-43 
E. bonnet!. 
.. 4 
i 
5 
5 
4 
4 
4 
1 
5 
4-43 
J.W Todd. 
..... 1 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4-43 
J. Borden . 
■I 
4 
4 
4 
5 
4 
5 
4 
5 
4-43 
C.it. KiisseU. 
.4 
5 
5 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4-43 
T. E. Garden. . 
.... .3 
8 
3 
4 
4 
5 
5 
5-43 
G, Lewis.. 
.4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
4 
3 
4 
4 
8^38 
BIEarnest. 
4 
4 
5 
4 
4 
3 
4 
4 
8-38 
The Empire Team at Walnut Hill.—N ew York, Jan. 
26th—Editor Forest and Stream: —Will you allow the 
gentlemen of the Empire Club, who yisited the Walnut 
Hill Rifle Range on Saturday last, to thank President 
Frye and Secretary Rockwell and the members of the 
Massachusetts Association for their attentions and cour¬ 
tesies, which were so kindly extended on that day, The 
team voted it the most enjoyable day’s sport in its ex¬ 
perience. and can only deplore the apathy of our N. R. 
A. that they do not build a “ winter shed ” and give us 
an opportunity to keep our practice up during the winter 
months. W. Milton Farrow, 
Captain of Empire Team. 
Union Hill. —At the annual election of the Board of 
Directors of the Schuetzen Park at Union Hill, N. Y., the 
following gentlemen were chosen for the position : A. 
Brieglel), H. W. Cordts, John C. Crevier, J. N. Crusins, 
Wm. Engel, Aug. Ermisch, Fred'k Hansen, Fred Haren- 
burg, Zac. Heinz, D, H. Helms, John Horsmann, John 
Kostei’, E. P. C. Lewis, J. F. W, Mangels, Chas. F, Matt- 
lage, John. E. McWhorter, Bern. Meyer, J. H, Miller, 
Wm. J. Mohn, Wm. Muller, H. F. Neumann, Henry Of- 
fermami, Rud. F. Rabe, W. F, Schumann, Martin Steljes, 
Henry Wellbrook, 
Helvetia Rifle Club.— The programme for 1880 of 
the old Helvetia Club has in it plenty of work for the 
members. The precision shooting is at 300 yards distance, 
3 inch ring targets. Each member is allowed a maximum 
of three tickets (ten shots each) from January to October 
inclusive, at the official places and on days to be designa¬ 
ted. The total number of points, bits and tickets of each 
shooter forms 14s aggregate for the year. In case of ties, 
precedence is given to ( 1 ) points, ( 2 ) hits, ( 8 ) tickets. 
Rifles are divided into— a. Breech-loaders.—No inter¬ 
ruption allowed and rifles not to be cleaned while shoot¬ 
ing a ticket. Artificial rest, weight over fourteen pounds, 
and calibre over ,45 forbidden ; no discrimination made 
in regaru to trigger and sight. Only finished cartridges 
allowed.— b. Muzzle-loaders.—Toisdivision willbe opened 
only on application of not less than live members. 
The time shooting will be at 200 yards distance, Creed- 
moor targets. Five minutes allowed to each member for 
each of the months mentioned, to shoot on one day with¬ 
out intermission, without leaving the stand and without 
cleaning the rifle, Repeating apparatus not to he used. 
Rifles above twelve pounds weight, and over .45 calibre, 
and carbines not allowed. The number of points, hits, 
and shots to form the year’s aggregate of each shooter in 
time shooting, and in case of ties precedence is given to 
the highest number of (1) points, (2) hits, (3) shots. The 
shooting festival will be held in Oct. 1880; to last one 
day. The gold medal presented to the club is to be the 
first prize of the time shooting, and considered the cham¬ 
pion medal for the season. The officers of the olub are: 
Albert Meyer, President; J. Huber, Secretary, P. O. Box 
1630. The Shooting Committee consists of August 
Knoepfli and Robert Faber. 
Empire Rifle Club— The annual election of the Em¬ 
pire Rifle Club, held Jan. 33d, resulted as follows :—Pres¬ 
ident, Dr. H. F. Clark: Vice-President, Frank H. Hol¬ 
ton ; Secretary and Treasurer, Jas. W, Todd ; Executive 
Committee, W. M. Farrow, A. H. Cobb. 
Fisher's Gallery. —The All-Comers Match for cham- 
seores of 48 each in the possible 50, at reduced 300 yards 
raDge. On Jan. 34th, in the Saturday night match, J. 
S. Case led with a score of 111 in the possible 125 at same 
range. 
A Pennsylvania Range.— Philadelphia, Jan. 21st,— 
Rifle shooting in Pennsylvania promises to open with a 
boom in spring. What we have long required here is a 
good long range—the riflemen generally objecting to 
using Stockton Range in Camden because "it Is a Jersey 
concern, and they rightfully think Pennsylvania riflemen 
should have a range in their own State. The League 
have this in. charge now, and I think I can predict a good 
range for our use within a few weeks. The different rail- 
roads are pushing to have the range located on their line 
of road, and several are being considered. The money for 
improving a range is offered, so that, all things con¬ 
sidered, I think next season's shooting will be more favor¬ 
able thau ever before, 
—The Daily Oregonian, in its issue of Jan. 3d, reports 
a contest on the Pioneer Range in Portland at 30 yards, 
with a bull's-eye -J inch in diameter, in which M. F. Spen¬ 
cer made a seoro of 43 bull’s-eyes and G ruffors, making a 
total of 570 points out of a possible 576; the bull’s-eye 
counting 13. 
Express Bullets.— Editor Forest and Stream .-—The 
very interesting letter of your correspondent, “Rab- 
beth,” haB prompted me to offer the following remarks 
as the result of several years' experience in tile use of 
express buffets. The momentum or striking force of any 
bullet is in direct proportion to its velocity; but if of the 
ordinary form, it is at high velocities likely to pass en¬ 
tirely through the animal, and thus the blow or shock 
inflicted is only that due to the difference between its 
momentum at entering and its momentum at passing 
out. All the force which is expended in carrying it 
beyond the point of exit is wasted. Now the peculiar 
form of the express bullet causes it to spread out upon 
impact with the auimal, and it rarely passes through, 
thus imparting the whole of the effect of its momentum 
at the place where it is needed. 1 use a double-barreled 
rifle made by Scott, of Birmingham—.50-bore, charge of 
powder 110-gra.ins (4 drachms), bullet about 340-grains, 
and I have never had a bullet pass through a deer. It is 
usually much battered, and if it encounters bone it is 
frequently divided into fine fragments. In one case 
some of these fragments cut the skin on the opposite 
side of a deer’s chest, but they remained in it, It strikes 
a fearful blow, and the shock usually kills at once, It 
was once my fortune to shoot two deer with right and 
left barrels ; one dropped dead and never stirred ; the 
other got up on his hind legs, moved them around in a 
circle and fell again, dead. Both shots wore in the shoul* 
ders, and the bones and soft parts were broken and torn 
extensively. The instantaneous death was to be attribu¬ 
ted, however, in a great measure to shock. I cite this as 
a good illustration of the kind of work to he looked for 
from the use of the express bullet. The full effect of its 
high velocity is expended in the game and it makes a 
deadly wound. Mr. Rabbeth’s experiments bIiow the 
great need of careful manufacture in order to ensure 
accuracy of flight, and should be heeded by the compan¬ 
ies who have commenced to furnish them. My bullets 
are of English make, but I have cast a few in the mould 
that came with the rifle, and after forcing them through 
a small swage (also furnished with It), I have found them 
to shoot equally well with the imported ones. The rifling 
of the gun is after the Henry pattern and seems well 
adapted to give accurate shooting with large charges and 
the express bullet. The convenience of the flat trajec¬ 
tory attained is very great. Within one hundred yards 
the"bullet scarcely falls at all, and iu practice I seldom 
avail myself of the single leaf that elevates it for dis¬ 
tances up to two hundred yards, making the requisite 
allowance of a few inches in my aim. In conclusion, I 
express the wish that out of the many using rifles for 
hunting, there may be a goodly number found willing to 
experiment with the express bullet. I am sure that it 
will at moderate ranges improve the lolling power of 
most if not all rifles. C. 
RECOIL IN RIFLES. 
For the past four years I have been experimenting and 
shooting with rifleB a great deal. The recoil of long- 
range rifles has been a very unpleasant feature In then- 
use for me. I wish to be understood as writing only of 
breech-loading rifles, rim, centre fire or shell. In my 
shooting I have used four rifles and two shot guns, all of 
nearly the same weight—9J pounds. Now. finding the 
recoil of a breech-loading rifle, charged with 2 i drachms 
of powder and three-quarters of an ounce of lead, more 
unpleasant, on account of recoil, than my breech-loading 
shot gun of exactly the same weight, charged with 4 
drachms of the Bame quality of powder and 1 -j ounces of 
lead, and also wads, I concluded that there must be 
some point or points wrong in the construction, or 
rather in our way of loading the breech-loading rifle. 
I had once used a muzzle-loading rifle, shooting a 
heavy slug bullet with immense force with scarcely any 
recoil. This rifle weighed eight pounds. On comparing 
charges 1 found that with the same charge any of my 93 - 
pound breech-loading rifles would kick like an army 
mule.” My theory was that, in order to charge the 
breech-loading rifle with facility, the chamber for the 
cartridge had to be large enough to admit of the bullet 
being shoved into its place easily. The diameter of the 
chamber where occupied by the ball is much greater than 
the rifled part of the barrel immediately in front of it. 
The result is that when the cartridge is fired the concus¬ 
sion of the powder when exploding “up sets” the bullet, 
increases its diameter to the size of the chamber, and 
then forces it into the rifles, where the diameter is much 
less. This takes immense force, and gives tremendous 
tension to the gases of the burning powder. No wonder 
the arm “kicks,” The bullet is first swollen, and then 
after starting it is forced into the rifling. The wonder 
is that the ooncussion does does not mash things gen¬ 
erally. 
Was this theory of mine correct ? I had the means at 
hand with which to readily solve the problem, to wit, a 
Ballard rifle, .40 calibre, charge, 70 grains powder, 
365 grains of lead, and one of .38 calibre, using 
the common cartridges. The weight of the gun is 91 
pounds. A cartridge .38 long has 16 grains powder arid 
about 200 grains lead; .38 extra long 34 grains powder ami 
200 grains of lead. This rifle, with the' last named car¬ 
tridge, gave a recoil somewhat unpleasant, For my ex¬ 
periment I primed a lot of centre fire copper shells : I then 
took a 365 grain hardened patched Creedmoor bullet and 
drove it from the breech into the rifle, then put in 40 
grains of powder, then the empty primed shell, turned 
the rifle breech down and settled the bullet firmly onthe 
powder, tired the charge—no recoil; tried the same bullet 
with 50 grains powder—no recoil; with 60 grains—no re¬ 
coil ; with 70 grains gave a slight push like a shot gun; 80 
grains, a little more of a push but not unpleasant, not 
nearly as much so as the same gun loaded with cartridge 
with one fourth the amount of powder and one half the 
weight of lead. With the extra long cartridge tho recoil is 
a quick, sharp blow, but loaded as above it pushes like u 
shot gun. I fired several rounds with each of the above 
loads and made the best score I ever made, and although 
I made no full test for penetration, I am confident that I 
got greater force than in the ordinary way ot' loading; 
and I am also confident that one can shoot 110 to 120 
grains of powder in this way with as much comfort as lie 
can 50 grains by the regular way of loading, and not be 
any more straining on his rifle. To drive these bullets 
into the rifle from the breeob I used a tough hard-wood 
pin, and was surprised to find that it took three to foiu- 
good sharp blows with a heavy hammer to start them in. 
When once fairly in the grooves they could be easily 
shoved either way. 
Therefore, if my experiments are correct — and I think 
they are — the nervous marksman who could shoot a 
long-range or Creedmoor rifle well if it didnt “ kick,” may 
overcome this trouble by having his rifle built, chambered 
for a short brass Bhell, then have a plug with a shoulder 
to it with which to drive in the bullet just far enough to 
admit the powder he wishes to shoot; fill up with powder 
behind the ball until flush with the breech of the barrel; 
insert the primed Bhell, close the action, and blaze away. 
No dodging necessary. This way of leading would only 
be practicable when targeting. When sporting, we rather 
like to be “ kicked.” 
About Everlasting skells, we have had the same troubles 
with these as “ Bexar” and others complain of ; with us 
they have swollen, burst, stretched, and were a nuisance 
generally; but I think I have traced the troubles all to one 
cause, namely, settling the bullets too far into the shells. 
The least distance they are shoved into the shell, the bet¬ 
ter every way — just so they will bold. At least, we have 
had no trouble with any make of rifle shells since we 
have practiced this plan." The best way to load a shell 
rifle for sporting is to fill the shell with powder : force a 
paper wad into it. bo it will be flush with the mouth of 
the shells: carry your bullets separate, and when you 
load, drop the bullet in the breech, and shove it to its 
place with the wadded shell; and my experience proves 
if you would so shove it fairly into this rifle, better shoot¬ 
ing every way would result. Byrne. 
Laoon, IU. 
MORE SHELL TALK. 
Editor Forest and Stream ; — I have read with interest 
all the correspondence relative to the everlasting and 
folded head rifle shells, and I did not suppose that any¬ 
thing could be said upon the subject that would make me 
take up the pen. But your correspondent, “ Magazine," 
is evidently a shell manufacturer and somewhat preju¬ 
diced. He condemns the everlasting shell because it is 
not elastic. The only reasonable argument against the 
everlasting shell I ever beard, was that it was too elastic, 
and with heavy charges would elongate so that the bul¬ 
let would be nipped as it left the shell. 
My experience with folded head shells has been consid¬ 
erable, and I find that after, on an average, half a dozen 
discharges, they begin to split in tlie head, and frequently 
the heads will be blown completely off, and the brass re¬ 
inforce or cup in the head of the shell, smashed as if 
struck with a hammer. This is a Remington Creedmoor. 
A' Sharps Creedmoor I know of don’t blow the heads off, 
but splits the shell under the head and towards the mouth. 
A Berchardt Sharps, using the folded shells, bursts them 
in head same as the Remington, but the heads do not 
blow off. After several hundred shells have burst-in any 
gun I am of the opinion that the gas which escapes at the 
biu-sting of the shell wiLl cut the recess in the rifle for the 
shell head, so that the beads of these thin shells will be 
blown off every time. I will prove it with any person 
interested, provided they will buy me a new barrel to my 
gun, 
I have used in a military rifle hundreds of solid head 
shells made by the United States Cartridge Company and 
the Winchester Company, new and reloaded, and never 
had one burst or crack, A friend of mine who did have 
the heads of several shells blown off, reported it to the 
manufacturers, and they promptly acknowledged that 
the quality of the brass was poor and the lot of shells 
were sold by accident. 
Now in relation to the everlasting shells, I purchased 
a Ballard-rifle secondhand, with fifty shells which had 
been used several seasons. The gun has been shot re¬ 
peatedly since I purchased it and each shell fired at least 
fifty times with 90 grains of powder and 520 grain bullet, 
and the shells have never expanded, stuck, or done any¬ 
thing but what they were intended for. The ouly sign 
of wear they show is, the anvils are smashed a little from 
the blow of the firing pin. Recently a gentleman pur¬ 
chased a Ballard rifle with fifty of the everlasting shells, 
same size as those with the gun I purchased, and the owu- 
ers commenced to use the shells together ; the result was 
that some of the shells expanded and would not go into 
the gun and had to be laid aside. The indiscriminate use 
of shells was then abandoned, and since then there has 
been no trouble. I have a Ballard rifle, 40 calibre, with 
everlasting shell: the shells have been used over a hun¬ 
dred times with all kinds of fitting bullets, some so tight 
that the shells had to be driven in the rifle with a mallet 
so that the breech block could be closed, and I never had 
one shell expand, burst, or blow the heads off. 
I am not a gun maker nor even a mechanic, but my 
view of the case is that the chambering of the rifle is most 
if not always the cause of the trouble. 
The Sharps Company say in then- catalogue that they 
have made expensive and elaborate tests of these so-called 
everlasting shells, and reject them because of their liabil¬ 
ity to split: but say that the folded head ones will last 
for a hundred discharges. All the experts I know of who 
use the Sharps rifle use solid head shells, and if they will 
ask the marksmen who have made the best scores with 
their gun they will find that the Winchester solid head 
shell is preferred to the folded ones, recommended by the 
company. 
Another objection to the folded head shell is that when 
they are cleaned the water gets in back of the reinforce 
or cup, and it may take several days to thoroughly dry 
them. Should they be reloaded while not thoroughly 
dry, the dampness which is contained in the shell will 
dampen the powder charge for half an inch or moro and 
destroy the force of the powder. That may he the cause 
for many of those unaccountable drop shots long range 
men sometimes get. 
So far in this discussion we have had only opinions, 
probably prejudiced ones at that. I cannot say that my 
contribution cannot be classed with the others, though I 
have tried to state facts, My facts maybe wrong, but 
they have left the impression upon me which I have tried 
to communicate to you in a plain way. After all, I hope 
that somebody or a company will make tests of this shell 
matter and give us the tests along with the results; then 
we will know whether the tests or shells fail. 
Albany, Dee. 10th. Goose Egg. 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
We have watched with increasing interest the discus¬ 
sion in your columns of the everlasting shell, and wish¬ 
ing to hear a full expression of opinions, we have de¬ 
ferred writing you till the present. We know that the 
everlasting shell as now made is a perfect article, and we 
have samples of them that have beeu fired hundreds of 
times without bursting or swelling, and still go into the 
chamber and out as easily as when iiivfc tried. Since 
the discussion opened in your columns we have had a, 
number of letters from parties not accustomed to appear 
in print, certifying to the excellence of both shells and 
